His Journey - Pt one
by Celonhael
Summary: Angry at DarkWind's presence, InuYasha finds Mikado, who reveals something unexpected to InuYasha.
1. Chapter 1

He walked out from the hut, furious. The only thing he wanted right now was solitude. No bother, no people talking, no arguing, and certainly no Kageri!  
He heard her call his name, upset, but he ignored it. Right now the hanyou wanted to be alone.  
He sprinted off into the forest, the cool night air damp against his face. He ran until he was sure he was a good distance from Kaede's hut, and lunged up into a tree.  
He found a good, solid branch, and perched there, his Tetsusaiga in his hand, closing his eyes.  
_Damnit all to hell, when was he going to leave? Get lost?_  
InuYasha was trying his best to _show_ his best to Kagome. He had told her, at the train station that time, that he was going to show her what she meant to him. He would win her back. He had been a fool, had done something extremely stupid, but now he was going to win her back. Win back her affections. He had had something priceless, and lost it. But he would gain it back.  
And it was starting to seem like he might have a _chance_ at that! Kagome was warming up to him again, letting him touch her, letting him take her hand or...sharing a soft smile. They were growing closer, he could _feel_ it. Ways she looked at him...he remembered those looks, and although he wanted to act on them, he always made sure he did nothing more than take her hand for a second, or just smile at her. For a few, brief seconds there, it looked like he just might _win_.  
Then that...that _DarkWind_ had shown up...and now...  
Kagome was clearly taken with him. That much was obvious. The hanyou would have to be _blind_ not to see the way she smiled at him, or the way she laughed, or the way her eyes lit up when he complimented her.  
Or the way she blushed.  
She used to blush that way when _he'd_ compliment her. And she looked so _cute_ when she did.  
InuYasha didn't have a chance against DarkWind, and he _knew_ it. The Kageri was older, more handsome, more powerful. He always knew exactly what to say to her to make her happy. And...and she was starting to look at DarkWind the way she looked at _him_. He had finally had to accept that DarkWind wasn't going to try and eat them all in their sleep...in fact he had proven to be a good person. He had saved Miroku's life that time, causing himself to be punished so badly, he was no longer a Kageri.  
Worse...worse even than the Kageri's looks...was the fact that they...DarkWind and Kagome...were BloodBonded. He knew Kagome's every thought. Every want, every need, every desire. Whatever Kagome needed to hear, DarkWind knew, and _said_ it. If she wanted support, he was there. If she wanted to feel safe, _DarkWind was there_!  
_How_ was InuYasha to compete with that? He never knew what to say, what to do...half the time Kagome made him so nervous he said or did something stupid...and the other half of the time he avoided it altogether because of that fear!  
And the more he grew angry at DarkWind...the more he tried to show Kagome that he _cared_ for her...the more he tried to show her that he was _right_ for her...the more she pulled back, and often went to talk to DarkWind!  
_What do I do?_  
They had been practicing all afternoon, the Kageri teaching her to use her own lifeforce more and more, calling it out of herself, and molding it to her will. It sounded damned dangerous to him...  
Worse...DarkWind was too touchy-feely with Kagome. He freely touched her body, her chest, her waist, her hip, her face, to illustrate what he was saying, to make a point.  
He had watched, as Kagome's face turned a shade of pink, but as she looked at the Kageri, her eyes were sparkling.  
InuYasha had never, _ever_, felt so helplessly jealous in his life. Watching her with DarkWind made him feel so jealous he felt sick to his stomach. He wanted to just grab the Kageri and toss him off a cliff or something. Just _get rid_ of him!  
Get him away from Kagome.  
If only he hadn't taken the damn Jewel out to Kikiyo. None of this would have happened...  
"A cool night."  
Eyes flaring open, he turned to see Mikado standing in the tree next to him, calmly studying him. InuYasha very nearly fell out of the tree.  
_"Give a guy some warning before just popping up like that!"_  
Mikado laughed freely, "Sorry. I was actually up here before you, so..." she paused, "What's your trouble?"  
"Nothing. Everything is fine."  
Mikado arched a brow, "Is that why I can hear you grinding you teeth all the way over here?"  
"It's that...that..."  
"Kageri."  
InuYasha glowered at her.  
"Well...I just figured you were trying to find a name for him, so I guessed it was DarkWind." Mikado sat on the branch on the other side of the tree.  
"Why the hell can't he leave? Show her what she's supposed to know, and _leave_?"  
"He's teaching her how to use the Shikon, InuYasha. That's going to take time."  
InuYasha crossed his arms, snorting. A conversation came to him, from about a week back. When he had met Kikyo in the forest.  
"I...isn't the Shikon supposed to be un-usable, anyway? It turns bad luck on the wearer?"  
"That's what was thought," Mikado stretched, "Because people who _tried_ to use it couldn't, so they ususally met with a bad end."  
Mikado looked closely at InuYasha, "I know you're close, InuYasha, but...you can't believe everything Kikyo says about the Shikon."  
InuYasha scowled harder, "I never mentioned her."  
"You didn't have to."  
He grunted in reply, put out. After a second, he spoke again, "What was that supposed to mean? Kikyo wouldn't lie to me, she..."  
_"So Kagome still has the Shikon."  
"Yeah."  
"So she's still alive."_  
InuYasha had winced at Kikyo's cavalier question.  
"Kikyo wouldn't openly lie, no," Mikado said, "But she only knows what she was taught. And she might not like the fact Kagome is proving more powerful with it than she was."  
He said nothing, then spoke lowly, "Can't Izumi fix things? Can't she - "  
"No," Mikado shook her head, her two braids flopping about.  
InuYasha sunk down a little, arms crossed, "I don't see why not. She can do anything else."  
Mikado sighed, leaning around the tree to meet his eyes, "She already told you, InuYasha, it's not easy for Izumi to look into the future and see things. It was a power given her by Amaterasu, and it's only for this war. Besides, she _can't_ tell you what she doesn't know."  
"Why wouldn't she know?"  
Mikado shook her head, "She told you. The 'future', as you put it, is far too unstable. Things happen that can prevent other things from happening."  
"I don't get you."  
Mikado sighed. She didn't have the patience Izumi did, "Look...think of time as a tree. You now stand at the junction of a bough. With every decision you make, InuYasha, you turn onto another branch, and then onto a twig, and so on. Right now, there are hundreds, if not _thousands_ of potential futures. In one, you and Kagome get back together. In another, you do not."  
"That's no help." he glared down at the ground below her, "What about the fact that Kagome comes from the future? I mean...that one must be stable, right?"  
She nodded, "It's stable...to a point. Even her future can be altered in some way. Some are meant to happen, no matter what. These are "boughs" that cannot be altered. Kagome coming back from the future is but one of them. You getting your father's weapon is another. Some are small. Some are big."  
"What about the fact that I...I...care..."  
Mikado rolled her eyes, "Your love for Kagome is no secret to me, InuYasha. Izumi and I do talk, you know."  
He looked at her, face turning red, "What!?"  
Mikado grinned, "Oh, we don't exactly gossip about you, so relax. But I know how you feel about her, so stop trying to find the perfect word." She frowned at him, "If you can't even say it to me, that's not a goo-"  
"Fine! I love Kagome. There. Get back to what I was saying...the fact that I love her, I mean...isn't that a big one? Unavoidable?"  
"I don't know."  
He frowned, angry, "It is. I love her. That won't ever change."  
Mikado was quiet.  
"How do I compete with DarkWind? He knows all the right things to say, all the right things to do. I care so much for her...and yet I still get tongue-tied when I try to use the "L" word around her. I mean...I can tell her, but sometimes I still seize up. It's hard to say, and..." his voice turned bitter, "DarkWind throws it around like water."  
Mikado said nothing, just listened.  
The hanyou's voice was frusterated, "Does she honestly need this, Mikado? Her spiritual arrows were powerful, why can't she use those?"  
"Kagome's training is very important, InuYasha. You have to trust us on this."  
"It's stupid," he crossed his arms again, defensive, "I'm here to protect her."  
"InuYasha..."  
"It's _stupid!"_  
Mikado sighed.  
"Alright. I guess this is karma."  
He blinked at her.  
"You remind me of me. Maybe Amaterasu told me to come and talk to you to show you what Izumi had to go through training me. Stand up."  
"Uh...what?"  
"Stand up. You need to be _shown_ and not told."  
Uneasy, the hanyou stood up. Mikado held out her hand, "Here."  
"What am I..."  
"Just take my hand. I'm going to show you something."  
InuYasha had not had good experiences lately, whenever someone wanted to "show" him something. He shrank back a little, "Just tell me."  
"Stop being a wimp and take my hand!"  
Uneasily, the hanyou did as he was told.

InuYasha felt something _shift_, the world around him blurring and changing. He was swept by a sense of dizziness, and would have fallen out of the tree if he hadn't grabbed onto the branch.  
The colors seemed to turn into paint, running into each other.  
Finally, with a sickening jolt, they stopped, and everything came to a stop.  
"What...what the hell just happened?"  
Mikado leapt down to land lightly in the tree, motioning for him to join her. He did, looking around, "Did you...move us? This place looks different."  
"Yeah. But first...go look in the water, there."  
Frowning, InuYasha turned from her, and walked to the edge of a small pond. Kneeling down, expecting to see something in it's depths, he leaned over, and looked.  
He blinked.  
He looked different.  
He was a human...and he wasn't even his normal self as a human.  
For starters, he had short hair, pulled back in a style similar to Miroku's. A little ponytail. His eyes were a little lighter, and he was wearing an all-black suit. Reaching up, he felt his face, his hair...his ears. He felt no ears on the side of his head, still felt his long hair falling around his face.  
"You are merely disguised," Mikado's voice was soft, "Not changed."  
He faced her, "What the hell are you doing?"  
"You are here to observe, InuYasha. You can't be recognised. It would really foul things up. Now let's go into the village down there."  
InuYasha hung back. It felt weird to _feel_ the locks of hair that normally fell around his face, but not _see_ them.  
"Come on, let's go." Mikado closed her eyes, and as he watched, she shimmered, rippled...and vanished.  
Blinking in alarm, he stepped forward, "Hey!"  
"I'm still here, InuYasha," she laughed, "But I don't want to be seen."  
"Why not?" he was growing more and more uneasy, "Why don't you just disguside yourself, like you did me?"  
"Too long, too complicated, and you're supposed to be "alone". Come on, just walk, I'm beside you."  
He looked down at the village that sprawled out before him. It was nestled in the lee of a large mountain. Very small, it looked a little run-down, poor. There were well-worn paths running from it in all directions. It might be small, but it seemed well-used.  
"Come on," Mikado's voice came to his right, "let's get going."  
Noticing that he seemed to be wearing sandals, he started down the small hill, "What's this place? I don't recognise it."  
"You wouldn't. Now remember, I can't be seen. I'll still be beside you, at all times, but no one can see me. You can talk to me if you want, ask questions, but try not to let anyone see you, they'll think you're crazy. Also, try not to use your hanyou powers. A human carrying around a few hundred pounds without even breaking a sweat will look odd. Oh, and your Tetsusaiga is disguised."  
Alarmed, InuYasha's hand dropped, wrapping around the hilt at his hip. Looking down, he was alarmed to see he was holding nothing.  
"It's still there, InuYasha," Mikado's voice sounded exasperated, "But no one can see it, so try not to whip it out and start attacking anything with it."  
InuYasha scowled at the path before him, "I get it, I'm not stupid."  
"No, but you're easily excited," came the dry reply.  
They made their way down, levelling out and approaching the village. As they walked, InuYasha began to see other people walking towards the village as well, coming from all directions. They all looked tired, beaten down, exhausted.  
"What's going on?" he asked lowly.  
"All these people," came the voice from thin air beside him, "Are refugees."  
"Refugees? From what?"  
"What are people usually refugees from? War. War, hunger, disease. All these people need help. They know they will get it here, at this small village."  
InuYasha fell into line with the others, after making sure it was necessary. He looked at the people around him, watching their faces. They all looked so tired. There were people his age, and older. Some were old people, hobbling on canes or walking sticks. Some were young families, carrying babies. He noticed even the small children, Sokai's age, carried little bundles, probably their meager belongings. Some older people were with families...many were alone.  
An old woman near him tripped, and would have fallen if InuYasha hadn't caught her. She was very thin, as heavy as a bundle of twigs. Carefully putting her back on her feet, she cast a grateful look at him, taking his hands and thanking him before trundling on. Her clothing was thin and torn, and very old.  
The kind hearted hanyou started to feel anger in him, "Who the hell is driving all these people out, anyway? Some of them look like they're on their last legs!"  
"No one is driving them out intentionally, InuYasha. But wars have many victims. The farmer, who loses his farm because soldiers take all his food for themselves, or lose his plots of land due to pitched battles. Old people, whose houses are taken over, or even destroyed. Families leave because they are afraid their wives, daughters, or young children may be raped and killed, or taken to fight in battles they want no part of."  
"Maybe this person needs to have a few things explained to them," he growled lowly.  
"It may not be one person," Mikado said, "Or...it may not be human."  
InuYasha, still walking towards the entrance of the village, stopped suddenly, looking towards where Mikado's voice came from. Someone bumped into him from behind, and mildly complained, but they were too tired to make a deal of anything, and walked on.  
"Are you saying this a war of demons?"  
"I'm saying, InuYasha," Mikado said, "We don't know what this war is about, and stop glaring at my direction, you look mental."  
Muttering under his breath, he dropped his gaze to his feet, and walked on.  
He walked several feet, when suddenly he felt a hot, stinging pain in his butt. Yelping, InuYasha grabbed his butt, swinging around, _"Hey!"_  
A young kid, younger than Kohaku but older than Shippo, stood looking at him, face pale. He clumsily tried to hide a slingshot behind his back, but it was too late. InuYasha started towards him.  
The young man turned paler, and suddenly dropped to his knee, hands together over his head, "I'm so sorry Sir I never meant to hit you, I swear it was an accident I'm very sorry Sir-"  
"Didn't try to hit me!?" InuYasha's butt still pained like he had been stung by a bee, "You did a damn good job of it!"  
Another kid appeared in front of the first, hands raised before him, "He was trying to hit me Sir, please, he didn't meant to hit you, I swear, you have my word of honor!"  
The first thing InuYasha noticed was that the kids were identical. Twins, they had to be. Their hair was short and black, but messy and wild. They had slightly turned up noses, and very dark eyes. Their ears were a bit big, tending to stick out on the sides a little. InuYasha thought if Kagome had been there, she probably would have called them cute. The next thing he noticed was that they were wearing clothing as faded and patched as anyone else.  
The kid that had been kneeling stood up, "I swear Sir, my brother and I were fighting. We just got too close to the newcomers. We shouldn't have been doing it...our father's warned us enough, said he'd take our slingshots away!"  
"But how are we supposed to protect anyone if we don't have weapons?" finished the other.  
"Weapons?" InuYasha avoided rubbing his stinging cheek, "You call those things weapons?"  
"It's the only weapon father will let us carry," the first one said, "He doesn't want us having to carry any real weapon yet. But mother says the time has come to-"  
His twin interrupted him, "I swear, Sir, we are both very sorry. Did we hurt you badly?"  
Snorting, InuYasha shook his head. If he had been human, he probably would have been in a lot of pain.  
"I'm fine, just a little stung." He glared at them for a moment, then paused, "Wait. You called them "newcomers". Does that mean you live in this village?"  
Both twins nodded.  
"We come out here to help the newcomers," one of them said. The other turned red, and mumbled, "When we're not goofing around."  
His brother nodded solemly, and continued, "The older ones, and the really young, sometimes they get this far and they just...can't go any farther. So we come out and help them. Keep an eye out."  
"Who are you?"  
"Oh, I'm Kin, and that's Kiyoshi." InuYasha wasn't sure who had been the one to strike him, but he nodded. The two twins laughed.  
"Don't worry," one said, "You'll never tell us apart after this. We often just tell people to call us Kinkiyoshi."  
"Or Kiyoshikin," the other interjected.  
"Uh...right."  
"Anyway," one of the boys said, "You should get back in line. You're lucky to be coming here today. We have a lot of room, and extra blankets and food."  
InuYasha turned, following the last stragglers towards the village, "Lot of room? What do you mean?"  
The two young boys fell silent, suddenly looking subdued. One of them spoke, "We were attacked, and..."  
"We lost some fighters," finished the other one, "So we have room for more."  
InuYasha studied them, nodding quietly.  
The young boys walked on, until one was prodded by the other, "Come on, let's go help mother. She's probably tired by now."  
"Yeah, ok."  
The two boys nodded to InuYasha, and ran on up ahead, slipping and darting through the line of people, slipping inside the village gate.  
InuYasha was about to speak to Mikado, but saw they were very close to the gate, so he fell silent.

Passing through, he was startled to see such a huge group of people gathered in there. All ages, some were standing behind boxes and bags, handing out things to the line of people. InuYasha noticed even small children were helping as best they could, carrying food around to the people. Some looked barely old enough to carry the trays. Everyone looked tired and tense.  
InuYasha whispered lowly, "What am I doing here, Mikado? I don't need anything."  
"You have taken on the role of a refugee, InuYasha," Mikado's voice came back to him, "Act like one. Take what they offer. Oh, and from now on, you are Daiki, not InuYasha."  
"Why the hell do I have a different name?"  
"Trust me."  
He sighed.  
"Pay attention," Mikado's voice was firm, "and say nothing."  
He frowned, what did _that_ mean?  
The line he was in moved along, and now InuYasha could see there was a woman handing out blankets. She spoke to the people as they paused. The woman leaned forward to talk when she could, seeming to brace herself on a table the blankets were on as she did. For a second, InuYasha frowned. It was strange. The woman sort of looked like Sango.  
The person talking to the woman took a blanket, and moved on, and InuYasha got a good look at her.  
He paused, shocked.  
It _was_ Sango.


	2. Chapter 2

The line moved on, but InuYasha just stood there, shocked beyond words, staring at the woman before him...at Sango.  
She was older...in her mid 20's. She still had the same face, the same hair...it was _definately_ Sango...just older.  
And ..._pregnant_.  
He hissed, nearly silent, "Alright, Mikado, you going to explain?"  
The person behind him complained, and taped his shoulder. InuYasha moved ahead, growing closer to Sango.  
InuYasha couldn't seem to tear his gaze from her huge belly. Only having seen her for a few minutes, already he was worried. She stood up, wiping the sweat from her forehead. It was hot here, InuYasha knew, and he felt a strange urge to go and tell her she should find a shady spot somewhere, where it was cooler!  
There were dark circles starting to form under her eyes. He couldn't take his eyes off her.  
Mikado's voice came to him, "And what do you want me to explain, InuYasha?"  
He would have said more, but now he was standing directly in front of Sango, and he found himself looking at her, feeling like at any moment she was going to demand to know what he was doing there.  
But she only offered him an exhausted smile, and held out two thin blankets to him, not recognising him at all. The two boys he had seen earlier, the two he had spoken to were lugging another basket over, full of patched clothing. They looked at her, and one of them spoke, "You ok, mother?"  
_Mother!?_  
The words were out before he could stop them, "They're yours?!"  
Sango looked at him, blinking. "Yes...is anything wrong?"  
InuYasha stood there, not knowing what to do. Sango had kids?  
He had obviously, somehow, been sent into the future. About 5 or 6 years from what he could see. Not too long, for Sango didn't look too different...but definately enough. Sango certainly wasn't pregnant when he had seen her last, _or_ had two boys!  
The two boys now looked at him, worried.  
"Uh...no, they...we talked...earlier."  
Sango turned and looked at them sternly, "And?"  
"Uh...nothing! We...talked."  
The two boys smiled innocently at Sango. If InuYasha had looked a little closer, he would have recognised the smile.  
He spoke again, "You look exhausted! You should go rest."  
Sango blinked at him, and then offered him a tired smile, "I can't do that, friend. Far too much to do."  
"He's right, though, you need to rest."  
InuYasha turned, and saw a man walking towards them. InuYasha felt that same, strange twist to reality.  
It was Miroku. He was older as well, obviously...now he carried his Holy Staff, wore the Monk's clothing, though these were worn as well.  
Miroku had a scar on his face, that started just over his right eye, and ended just below it, just above the cheekbone. He hadn't lost his eye, although it looked like it was a close thing.  
Miroku walked to Sango and slipped his arms around her, hugging her, "You look like you're dead on your feet."  
"I'm fine, Miroku."  
InuYasha just stared. He kept waiting to wake up. He looked from Miroku and Sango to the twins, wondering how on earth he hadn't seen it before. The twins had such clear features of both of them.  
Miroku spoke, "Boys, take your mother back to the house. She needs to rest."  
The twins moved at once, both taking Sango by the hands and starting to lightly tug her along, "But-"  
"No buts. You've been on your feet all day. I'll take over here."  
Sango paused, looking over her shoulder, "How was the funeral, Miroku?"  
The monk's face changed, becoming carefully neutral, "The same as they always are, beloved. I hate burying children."  
Sango nodded, her face softening, and let her boys pull her on towards the doors.  
Miroku turned, not noticing the shocked stares he was getting from the disguised hanyou, and put on a smiling face, "Now then. I see you have your blankets, do you need food or medicine?"  
InuYasha just shook his head, dumbly, and found himself pushed on, out of the line, by the person behind him.  
The hanyou walked in a daze to a little empty spot, and sat.  
Was he dreaming? What the hell was going on?  
"Mikado?" he demanded lowly, "Where are you? What the hell is going on?"  
Mikado spoke from beside him, "You haven't yet figured it out, InuYasha?"  
"You were talking about the future...and now I'm in this place, where Sango is older and...and _pregnant_," he couldn't get over that part, "And Miroku is older...so I'm guessing you brought me to the future?!"  
"I have brought you to _a_ future, InuYasha. _One_ of many."  
"What do you mean, one of many? Are you saying the time I'm in doesn't exist?"  
He heard Mikado sigh, "Haven't you heard anything I've told you, InuYasha? Not all futures are possible. Anything could happen to change this future. Miroku might be killed tomorrow. Sango might. This village might be destroyed in a week from now, by natural causes."  
"Then why bother to show me?" he kept glancing over at Miroku. The monk looked tired as well, but not as exhausted as Sango.  
"Because...I need to show you something that _could_ happen. This future is _possible_."  
A thought suddenly struck InuYasha, and he looked towards where he thought Mikado was, "Where's Kagome?"  
"She is well, but you cannot see her tonight. She is busy. For now, you need to stay here, with the other fugitives, and listen."  
"To what?"  
"To them. Listen, and learn."

It was very hard. He kept stealing glances at the monk. At that scar. When had that happened? What had caused it? It didn't seem to cause the monk any problems. His vision seemed good enough, and he appeared cheerful. It was good, in a way, to see Miroku wearing his monk's robes again, but that scar on his face...he couldn't have gotten that unless he was in a bad fight. And he was tall...  
But InuYasha knew him well enough by now to see a difference. His cheerfullness didn't extend to his eyes. They were tired, and worried.  
Everyone there looked tired. All the helpers. They all looked tired, exhausted, and drained.  
He wanted to see Kagome.  
It was like an itch. It grew stronger and stronger. Kagome was here. Mikado had said she was ok, but...was she? This place seemed so desperate. What was she doing? Where was she? She must be older too, of course, and he suddenly wanted very badly to see her.  
Mikado had told him he couldn't see her tonight...and he was trying to keep to that. But...  
He focused on listening to the refugees talking around him. They all pretty much spoke the same story. The demons were killing and destroying. There was only one place left standing...this village.  
The people here were good. They were strong. They fought back, they had a plan to save as many as they could.  
The ones doing all this had fought demons before. The monk was well known. He had been willing to give up his lifestyle to be with the demon-slayer, but the village had been in desperate need of a holy man, a man of the cloth. Someone to guide them, spiritually. They had asked him, and he had agreed to keep his title. They now had a family. It was also well known that both the demon slayer and the monk were worried about the child she carried. Children weren't being born healthy for some reason, and many were dying.  
InuYasha studied his feet while he listened, keeping his eyes low.  
More talk went on around him. The others that worked here were tired, being run ragged. They were going to try for a new life in a new valley, one that was naturally protected from Demons. It might be a good place to live, to start new families. They were going to wait for a certain time and then move. No one knew when this time would be, so everyone had to be ready.  
_Where is Kagome_?  
More talk. The demon-slayer, the woman called Sango, had trained the soldiers and guards to protect the place. The army was small...had few weapons...but much courage. And much skill. She had taught them all very well, and they were very loyal to her. The people were very loyal to _all_ those who were fighting to save them.  
She couldn't fight anymore, though, because of her condition. She had some second-in-commands who were taking over, but luckily the majority of the training was complete.  
InuYasha lay on his side, pulling the blankets over him. He didn't know what to do.  
But he wanted to see Kagome.

Somehow, during the night, he managed to fall asleep. The next morning he awoke, his body stiff and sore from sleeping poorly. He got up, and was given his fair share of some sort of gruel. It was rather bland, but the way some people ate it, they thought it was honey.  
He realized that to many of them, it was just food, and that was apparently rare.  
He shook his head, fighting back a desire to do something for them. Maybe, if he were going to stay here longer, he'd join the soldiers or something. But as he was only going to be here for a short while...  
He stood up, and walked outside. And there, he got another shock.  
There were a few children, and a fight was starting up. Two young boys were facing off, getting ready to fight. Only the fight had been quickly interrupted.  
Shippo stood in the center of the group of children, holding a kid up by the scruff of his shirt.  
Shippo looked around 14. Maybe a few years older...about Kohaku's age now. Er...then. He had put some muscle on him, though as a Kitsune he'd never be more than wirey. His hair was longer, still hauled back in a ponytail, only a much more relaxed one. He was taller too, taller than InuYasha would have expected seeing how small he was in his own time. He was almost as tall as Kohaku, though thinner. Leaner. Gone were the bright clothing he wore; now he wore all black pants and shirt, though it, too, was faded.  
"All right, that's enough. You know perfectly well there's no fighting around here. Break it up."  
Shippo's voice was deeper, surprisingly mellow. He stared at the kid he had, and the kid quietened, "Sorry Shippo."  
"Yeah, yeah," Shippo dropped the kid on the ground, "Go home and help your parents pack. Time's gettin close."  
The kid picked himself up off the ground, and sort of slinked home, all the fight gone out of him.  
Shippo shook his head, and then turned, and looked directly at InuYasha.  
The hanyou stiffened slightly.  
Shippo seemed...well...if he had seen any other kid in a village talking like that, and with that look on his face, InuYasha would have instantly thought he was looking at a trouble maker, a bad seed. There was a look in his eye like he was expecting trouble, and was more than ready to give it.  
Shippo spoke, "Anything I can do to help you, sir?" There was almost a...harsh quality to the Kitsune's voice. The high-pitched voice was gone.  
InuYasha spoke, "Shippo?"  
Shippo blinked, "How do you know my name?"  
"Uh..." he thought fast, "I heard some people inside talk about the Kitsune."  
"Oh." He shrugged, "Yeah. That's me. You're new here, right? What's your name?"  
It was beyond bizarre for InuYasha to be almost looking Shippo in the eye. Gone was the rounded, child's face, replaced by the glimpse of the future man. Gone was the bow he wore in his hair. Now it was just a simple band. There was a dagger on his belt, and InuYasha wondered, with a sudden flash of sorrow, what had happened to the toys.  
InuYasha, for a second, completely forgot what his name was supposed to be, and then it came to him in a flash, "Daiki."  
"Daiki. Well...I'd welcome you to the place, but this isn't really a place anyone should feel welcome in."  
"Oh?"  
The Kistune shrugged again, "Wait till we get through the mountains. Then I'll welcome you." And then he smiled, and it lit up his whole face. His fangs, InuYasha saw, had grown as well. This was no longer a normal Kitsune. There was a wild, dangerous look about Shippo that no other Kitsune he had ever seen had.  
"Mountains?"  
"Yeah, the -", a shout went up from behind them.  
He turned, to see a young woman, running through the village, "I can't find my daughter! Amaya! Amaya! Where are you? Someone help me!"  
Shippo shook his head. "Another kid wandered off. You'd think people would be keeping them closer now." He nodded to InuYasha, then turned, heading towards the woman to help.  
InuYasha watched him go, and turned, heading over towards where the guards were gathering. They were talking to themselves, putting on their armor, getting ready to pull their duty. InuYasha looked them over with a critical eye.  
The armor was poor, as were the weapons. But there was a look in their eyes that spoke of strength. They were more than willing to do what they were doing.  
Maybe they had a chance.  
InuYasha spoke lowly, "Mikado?"  
There was a pause, and then her voice, "I am here, InuYasha."  
"Are they going to make it?"  
"You ask me questions I can't answer, InuYasha."  
"Can't? Or won't?"  
"Can't."  
He sighed, and turned, strolling over to where the two massive gates were opened. He gazed out through.  
There was so much green pasture out there. The farmers could do so much with it. But it just wasn't safe, he supposed.  
It was so damned unfair.  
Motion caught his eye, and he turned to see a small child, moving outside, picking some flowers. A little girl, making her way carefully from flower patch to patch, a few flowers already in her small hand.  
InuYasha blinked, "Hey! There's a kid out there!"  
No one seemed to hear him.  
"Hey! I said there's a -"  
His voice faltered. A darkness was rising up behind the little girl, broiling, like a cloud.  
InuYasha blinked, and before Mikado could say anything, he was out through the gates, moving towards the child, his hand on the hilt of his Tetsusaiga.  
Mikado's voice was loud in his ear, "Do not pull your sword!"  
"I can't let that kid get grabbed!"  
"You can't use your sword!"  
Cursing, he let go of the sword, and just ran. Maybe he could reach her in time.  
He heard shouts going up behind him, _Oh NOW you notice!_  
The little girl looked up at him, her eyes going wide as she saw a strange man come bearing down on her. She turned to run, and came face to face with the darkness.  
She screamed.  
InuYasha jumped over a fallen log, and grabbed the back of the little girl's dress, his talons, though unseen, passing straight through her dress, and he yanked her backwards, just as a huge set of teeth appeared out of the darkness and snapped.  
She screamed again, flailing her little arms at him, as he spun about, and headed backwards to the gates. Maybe he could just outrun them...  
Something whipped tightly around his wrist, gouging painfully at his wrist and the back of his hand, trying to get him to drop the child. He cursed in pain, and just held onto her tighter. Her shrill little screams were nearly shattering his eardrums.  
A shout from ahead went up, and he looked up to see several of the guards running towards him, their weapons at the ready. They ran straight towards him, brandishing their weapons.  
The demon let go of his wrist, and turned to face the new threat.  
He felt angry at being dismissed so easily...but in this guise...  
He ran back into the village, still carrying the screaming child. He turned and looked outside, watching as the soldiers faced off against the demons. As he watched, he realized he could easily see Sango's techniques, the way they ran, the way they lunged, jumped. It was all Sango.  
"Mother!"  
He turned in time to see Shippo and the woman running towards them, the woman with her arms out. The little girl was crying, holding out her own arms.  
InuYasha put the little child down on her feet, and she ran to her mother, who scooped her up, crying.  
The guards ran inside, the demons close behind. As they approached the wall, however, there was a bright flare, and a singed smell, and the demons backed off.  
There was some sort of shield around the village.  
InuYasha watched as the gates were swung shut, and Shippo spoke from beside him, "Good job."  
He looked over at him, and noticed the Kitsune was looking at his hand, "That looks bad. I'll get the healer." He looked at InuYasha again, "You should think about joining the soldiers here. You'd be good at it, I think."  
"Maybe..."  
"Either way, come on. We'll get your hand tended to."

He followed Shippo to a medium sized healing house, two floors, where several young women were gathered outside on the grass. Some were boiling strips of cloth to make them clean for bandages. Others were grinding herbs for poultices and to be steeped for teas.  
One of them stood up, looking at Shippo.  
"Shippo! What happened?"  
The Kitsune motioned towards InuYasha, "This guy just went out and save a kid from the demons."  
All eyes turned onto InuYasha, and he blinked. So much for not getting noticed.  
"You did?"  
"When?"  
"How?"  
"Uh..." he raised a hand, "I just ran out and grabbed her."  
One of the women blinked when she saw blood dribbling down his hand, "And you were wounded! Come inside, please."  
She handed him a clean cloth, and he wrapped his wrist with it, to stop from dribbling blood over everything. He looked around the yard, at the young healers, then at the healing house. It looked like one of the few permanent houses there.  
He was ushered inside by Shippo, and led to a cushion on the floor, where he sat. One of the young women came and sat beside him, and unwrapped his wrist.  
The blood was still running a little, which alarmed InuYasha some. He was a half-demon, he should be healing by now.  
Mikado's voice sounded in his ears, "Those are not normal demons, InuYasha. Their weapons cause demon's wounds to have trouble healing. You, I believe, are familiar with this?"  
InuYasha mentally nodded. Way back...when he had been tricked into thinking that Xentia was Kagome...he had fought a demon then that had also cause his wounds to have trouble healing.  
The young woman put pressure on the wound, "It will stop shortly. Now tell me, why didn't you just get the guards to go out and rescue the child? They're more prepared for this sort of thing."  
InuYasha snorted, "They didn't exactly seem to notice. I didn't have a lot of time."  
They were silent as they waited for his hand to stop bleeding. People outside spoke, and sometimes laughed softly, and they all continued to prepare herbs and bandages and things.  
About ten minutes later, the young healer unwrapped his hand, the bleeding stopped.  
"There we go," she smiled, and another young woman had a bowl of herbal water brought in. She gently started to clean the blood from the wound with a soft cloth, the water in the bowl quickly turning red.  
InuYasha hissed slightly, the wound stinging, itching.  
"It's deep," she said softly, "You're lucky it wasn't on a more vital part of your body. I think there may be poison in it."  
"It'll be fine," he grumped, "Just put some herbs on it, and wrap it, and I'll go."  
The young woman softly laughed, "So you're a healer yourself, are you? Think you know better than I?"  
He looked at her, angrilly, "No, but there's no point in wasting a lot of time on this, I heal pretty good, it's fine!"  
There came the sound of footsteps on the stairs, the steps creaking as the person descended. InuYasha glanced up, over the girl's shoulder, to see another woman approaching with yet another bowl of herbs. She wore a white tunic and nearly black _hakama_ pants, and for a brief second, InuYasha didn't recognise her.  
When he did, his eyes widened, time seemed to slow down, the sights and sounds around him fading out as she approached.  
Her hair was longer, and tied back loosely from her face. Her face was different, the softness of a young woman's face evening out to that of a woman in her 20's.  
Her eyes hadn't changed.  
He just stared, breathless.  
_Kagome._


	3. Chapter 3

Kagome walked towards him, carrying a bowl of steaming herbal water. When the young woman working on InuYasha's wrist saw her, she quickly stood. She was about to speak, but Kagome spoke first.  
"So this is the young man that's been causing all the talk." She smiled at him, "I hear you saved a little child this morning. I thank you." Her voice was different. A little deeper, no longer a young woman's voice but the voice of an adult woman. It was quieter, too.  
"You...uh..." he felt numbed.  
She was so beautiful. There was a serenity to her face he had never seen before...and her eyes seemed bottomless. Every step she took, every movement she made, was graceful and slow, as if decided upon.  
He was used to seeing her so hyper, so excited all the time. Her emotions always getting the better of her. But here, now...she seemed calm and cool, collected. But there was still life in those dark eyes. They seemed to sparkle with a carefully hidden humor.  
She slipped into the young girl's place, kneeling, and lightly took his hand, looking at the wound.  
She tsked, "It's deep. But some herbal salve will help that." Taking up the cloth in the steaming bowl, she started to clean out the wound.  
His eyes never left her face, and he couldn't speak if he had to. His voice seemed to have died somehow. He was aware of the heat in his face as the flush appeared over his cheeks and nose, but he couldn't help it. She was so close...and so beautiful.  
He clenched his other hand into a fist, carefully hidden by his sleeve, afraid he might reach out and take her hands.  
He had always thought Kagome beautiful...but...this was unexpected.  
InuYasha noticed that there was a sort of sorrow about her, as well. A quiet grief that she kept about her. Even while tending to his wound, there was almost a wall that seperated him from her, a wall she put up.  
_But she doesn't know who I am..._  
_Maybe it's to keep everyone out._  
He just watched her, in a sort of silent, numb stupidity. Certainly he looked like he was shellshocked, just looking into her face with that blush over his face.  
He wanted to say something to her...but his tongue had died. His mouth didn't seem to want to work.  
Kagome finished, and bandaged his hand, tying it carefully. She smiled, and stood, "Now. No more fighting demons. Let the guards do that." She picked up the bowl, and turned, heading back outside.  
InuYasha just sat there, stunned.  
Shippo came and sat beside him, grinning, "Don't worry. Just about everyone reacts that way to Kagome the first time they see her."  
He swallowed, and managed to croak, "Ka-Kagome?"  
Shippo nodded, as if he were asking her name, "Kagome. She's sort of our...Priestess and Master Healer, all rolled into one. If you need anything, just ask for her. She's the one that started this place."  
InuYasha watched the empty doorframe, where she had walked, "She did?"  
Shippo nodded, "Yup! The village was started up by Kagome and us, her friends. Over time, as the demons got stronger and stronger, more and more people came looking for shelter. So we took them in. It was Kagome's idea to put up a barrier to keep out the demons."  
"But...everyone's...leaving..."  
He heard the Kitsune sigh, "The barrier's weakening. So Kagome and Miroku and some other powerful people got together and found the entrance through the mountain. And they managed to set up a place on the other side."  
"She...she's so beautiful..."  
Shippo laughed, but then his voice took on a very serious tone, "Yeah...but she's very well guarded. Everyone here loves her. Only someone really stupid would try anything with her."  
InuYasha blinked, and turned to look at the Kitsune, shocked, "_I_ wouldn't do anything!"  
Not catching the emphasis on the man's statement, Shippo smiled, "Good! Now that your hand's all better, is there anything I can help you with?"  
InuYasha stood up, "No...I...I'm fine." He walked towards the door, and slipped out, looking around.  
Looking for her.  
He couldn't see her. She had managed to dissapear into the crowd.  
He wanted to see her again, to talk to her...  
"Shippo!"  
InuYasha turned to see the two twins come running towards the Kitsune. Their faces were lit up with laughter, "Those slingshots you gave us are great!"  
"You're not still hitting people on the heads, are you?" Shippo asked.  
They cast InuYasha a startled glance, and hesitantly shook their heads.  
InuYasha glanced at them, but returned to looking around, trying to find a length of ink black hair.  
Shippo spoke again, "Aren't you guys supposed to be looking after the little kids?"  
"Oh yeah!" Kiyoshi spoke, "That's why we came! Shukun is looking after them for us, but we can't find Gin again."  
Shippo rolled his eyes, "_Again?_ I should have known. Alright." He looked at InuYasha, "Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you?"  
"Huh? Oh, no. Thanks..." he was fighting the blush, but it only grew stronger when Shippo laughed.  
"Kin? Kiyoshi? What are you doing here?"  
InuYasha turned to see Sango making her way down towards them. She was carrying a basket of something. She almost seemed to roll and pitch like a land-bound ship, she was so big. InuYasha thought it was likely Sango was carrying another set of twins, she was so big.  
Shippo ran over and took the basket from her, "They needed my help with something. It's ok. What's this?"  
"Oh. Some more of those mushrooms Kagome needed. Is she here?"  
Shippo shook his head, "She healed him, and then left. Probably gone back to the Shrine. I'll drop these inside."  
He darted inside, and then came back out, taking Kin and Kiyoshi by the hand, "All right, let's go."  
InuYasha watched them leave, and noticed Sango was looking at him.  
"Your hand's been hurt. Are you alright?"  
"Yeah...uh...Kagome...took care of it..."  
"Oh. Good."  
"Kagome.."  
"Yes?" Sango watched him from the corner of her eye.  
InuYasha blushed again. Damnit!  
"She's a good healer."  
Sango softly laughed, "Yes. She is. The best we have."  
"She...she seems...sad. Is...she...ok?"  
There was a long pause, and he didn't think Sango was even going to answer at first. Finally, she spoke, lowly.  
"Kagome's very worried. The barrier grows weaker. The move may have to be sooner. She's afraid people might get hurt."  
"She's not doing this alone, is she?!"  
Sango looked insulted, "You don't know us. Don't judge us."  
He flushed. Damn. "Sorry, I didn't mean..."  
"But as to your answer, of course not. We're not letting her handle any of this alone...but Kagome worries anyway. She always does."  
"Is...I mean..." he paused, how the hell to ask this?.."Is she...I mean...is it just you and Miroku and her? Isn't there...anyone else to help?"  
"Of course. We have a lot of other people helping out."  
He mentally cursed. How could he just come out and ask-  
He heard Mikado's voice in his ear, "I know what you're thinking. Say you heard something about a half-demon, InuYasha."  
He spoke quickly, "I heard something about a half-demon that...was with...you guys."  
There was a very long pause.  
Sango lowered herself to sit on a pile of boards, getting off her feet. She sighed, "I hope I'm not having another set of twins. If I get any bigger, I'm going to pop."  
Lifting her head, she looked at InuYasha closely.  
"I know what you're trying to do. And it's not appreciated."  
He blinked, holding up his hands, "Do? No...I'm just asking...I just heard...that's all..."  
Sango looked away, sighing deeply. He saw something pass over her face, and then she spoke quietly.  
"His name was InuYasha."  
InuYasha swallowed, _"W-Was?"_  
Sango nodded, "He was with us, in the beginning. He helped me train the soldiers. Helped us all. When we grew tired, he pushed us on. When we faltered, he was our strength. He was our friend." She spoke softly, "He meant everything to us."  
"W-Wh-Where is he now?"  
There was another long pause.  
Sango looked away. A breeze lifted her hair, cooling her tired, sweaty face. Her eyes were distant, and sad.  
"There was a bad battle. We were surrounded by demons. InuYasha fell."  
A strange, sick feeling settled in his stomach. So he was...dead.  
As strange as it sounded...he was ok with that, to a degree. Yes, it was horrible to know that you were dead...but he had been afraid...there for a minute...that he had somehow..just...abandoned them.  
Left them.  
Left her.  
"H-h-how?"  
Sango rubbed her face, "It was about 6 years ago. We were all pinned in a valley, about 25 of us. He went out to fight back the demons. And he did it." InuYasha couldn't help but hear the fierce pride in her voice, "InuYasha killed every last one of them. But his wounds were too great. He died."  
InuYasha fell silent.  
Sango spoke again.  
"Kagome has never gotten over it. She carries her grief with her like a cloak."  
InuYasha looked to where she had walked.  
The Shrine.  
The Demon Slayer's voice grew hard again, "I'm going to ask you to leave her alone."  
He blinked, and looked at Sango, "What?"  
She was watching him sternly, "You heard me. There have been enough people trying to 'help' her. Enough men trying to get close to her. Kagome doesn't need any of that right now. Besides...you're a little young."  
He felt his face go hot, "Hey! I wasn't...I.."  
"If not...then I apologise. But remember what I said." She pulled herself up to her feet, "Ug. It's going to be another long, hot day. Then again...every day is hot when you're as big as this."  
She chuckled, and he watched as she gently ran her hands over her swollen belly. But he saw there was wrry in her eyes, and he remembered the rumors about the children being born sickly.  
She turned, and started away.  
InuYasha balled his hands into fists, and turned, seeking some solitude.

He found it behind a tree, where he sat.  
"Mikado? GodsDamnit Mikado, get out here."  
She seemed to appear, slightly, beside him. She studied his face, "What's wrong InuYasha?"  
"What's the matter?!" he fought to keep from yelling, "What do you _think_ the matter is?! Why did you bring me here? What am I supposed to see? A village that's under attack by powerful demons! I see Miroku and Sango worried about their unborn child, I see Shippo becoming a little too mouthy with a hard look on his face, and Kagome who's living this quiet life of misery...and _all_ of them living on the edge of a blade that's going to turn and cut them all open! What's so important that I'm supposed to see?"  
"InuYasha-"  
"Oh wait, I get it!" he nearly ground his teeth, "All this started with Kagome's training, right? You're going to show me that she might have been able to save me with her powers? Right? You couldn't just tell me that?"  
Mikado's voice was soft, "No. You have not yet seen what you _need_ to see."  
InuYasha stood up, "I've seen all I want to see. You take me the hell back."  
"Amaterasu says no."  
"I don't-"  
She tells me," Mikado said firmly, "That she promised you should would be fair with you from now on. And that you wouldn't _believe_ what you have to see, you have to _see_ it to _believe_ it."  
InuYasha cursed.  
"Calm down. This is a future, remember? It may not yet come true."  
"And where's DarkWind? He's supposed to be protecting her too, remember?"  
"DarkWind is not going to be here forever, InuYasha. He is a Kageri. His job is to teach Kagome."  
InuYasha said nothing, but he had a very bad feeling that DarkWind might be around a lot longer than he wanted.  
He huffed, but sat down again.  
He didn't want to see anymore. He didn't want to see how his friends were living such an unhappy life here. Why couldn't Mikado get that?  
He kicked some rocks away, muttering darkly under his breath.  
None of this stupid mess would have even started without DarkWind showing up!  
"Be careful."  
He blinked, coming back to his surroundings, and found himself about to step onto a pile of newly dyed clothing.  
The clothing looked old, but the new dye was giving it some new life.  
He looked around, to find himself near a small stream, where some people were working.  
Walking towards him, over the grassy area, was Kagome.  
She had taken off her outer shirt, and was wearing a lighter white one underneath, her hair pulled back tighter into a ponytail, as the heat of the day moved on.  
She smiled, "You almost had purple feet."  
He stammered, feeling that stupid blush rise to his face again. With her hair like that...she looked even more like his Kagome...his old Kagome...but she was still so beautiful.  
Kagome softly laughed, and held out a clay cup, "Are you thirsty? I was just about to take a break from dying these clothes. Would you like to join me?"  
"Please." he croaked, and gratefully took the cup, drinking the cool water. It gave his hands, and his mouth, something to do.  
Kagome turned and looked at the two other women who were working on dying the clothing. She spoke, "The cloth is old, and can only hold so much, but at least it gives the children a little bit of happiness, to get hand-me-downs that aren't completely faded."  
He said nothing, just took another drink.  
She spoke again, "Are you thinking of joining the guards here? We are all very grateful to you, you know."  
"Uh...I...I'll...think about it." _Why_ was he acting so...so...stupid? This was just Kagome, after all. The same old...  
No, not the same.  
He looked at her, trying to think of something to say, and the words were out before he could stop them.  
"I'm sorry. About him. Dying, I mean."  
Emotion passed over her face, and she quickly turned from him.  
_Crap_.  
"I mean...I'm sure he..he didn't want to...leave you.."  
_"That's enough!"_ her voice was angry, and he fell silent.  
"I..I'm sorry." the words were a whisper.  
She looked at him, and her eyes were hard, "You don't know _anything_ about him, so keep your mouth shut, do you understand?"  
Miserable, he nodded.  
She turned, and walked from him, heading back towards the Shrine, where some of the women were standing now, watching. As Kagome approached, they turned, going back to their tasks.  
But they all cast looks of death at him.  
InuYasha carefully put the clay cup on the ground, and turned, and bolted.


	4. Chapter 4

InuYasha ran back to the tree where he had last spoken to Mikado, and he knelt on the ground, "That's it! Mikado! You get me the hell out of here! I don't want to see any of this anymore! Everyone is miserable! What the hell was so important that I _had_ to come here, that you _had_ to drag me to this place? Just _tell_ me!"  
Mikado appeared next to him, looking very put-out, "You weren't supposed to get that involved with anyone! Honestly, InuYasha! You've managed to save a child, and piss off just about everyone else you've come across!"  
"What, I was supposed to let that kid get killed, is that it?"  
"That child doesn't even exist yet!"  
"I'm sure she still would have felt herself getting torn into pieces!"  
"And your excuse for interacting with the others?"  
"Kagome looks GodsDamned _miserable_! Was I just supposed to ignore that?!"  
"Yes!" Mikado put a hand to her face, "This obviously isn't working. I'm going to have to take measures to make sure you don't do it again."  
"What? What are you talking about?"  
He watched as Izumi made some sort of strange, arcane gesture over him, and he felt a strange shiver pass through him. He quickly checked himself over, seeing no change.  
Angrilly, he looked at her, "Alright, what have you done this time?"  
Her voice was clipped, clearly not impressed with him, "I have made sure that you are as invisible as I am. No one can see you, or hear you. Or feel you, for that matter."  
_"What?!"_  
"How else am I going to ensure that you see what it is that you need to see without upsetting the entire village?!"  
"Well, maybe if you had just _told_ me...none of this would have happened!"  
Mikado stood, anger passing over her features. Closing her eyes, she muttered something under her breath.  
Again, that strange, colorful, twisting feeling. The hanyou felt a little better, thinking Mikado was finally taking him back to his time. Only, when they faded, he was able to see they didn't seem to have moved at all.  
Once again, InuYasha held onto his stomach as it slowly rolled.  
The surroundings around him settled, as did his stomach, a little, and he looked at her, "Alright...where..or rather.._when_...are we now?"  
"Two days later. Now go out and look around. On your own. I do not have to follow you this time, you cannot get into any trouble like this."  
He snorted, and rose, heading out into the general area.  
No one looked at him, no one spoke to him. He had to watch carefully to make sure no one bumped into him...despite what Mikado said. He didn't want to run into anyone.  
He grumbled to himself, "Alright, fine. I'm here. What am I supposed to see? All I see are a bunch of miserable people in a miserable little village that's going go get smashed by some demons. I fail to see what's so important about-"  
A scream went up behind him, and he turned in time to see two women come running in from just outside the village walls.  
A huge curtain of demons were bearing down on them, but they stopped when they hit the barrier. There was a flash, and a sizzling, scorching smell.  
More and more demons began to appear, and they all started to attack the barrier. The barrier flashed and sputtered as it tried to hold.  
A cry went out, and then another.  
Kagome's voice rang out over the general chaos, "Everyone, don't panic!"  
He turned to see her running out towards the center of the village, arms out. Everyone turned to look at her, many terrified.  
She spoke clearly again, "Get your things. We move today. Now. You have all practiced this many times...nothing has changed. Go!"  
There was a pause, and then everyone was running, heading to their houses to get their things. Dogs barked, children started to cry. But everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing.  
InuYasha found himself moving towards Kagome, where Miroku and the heavily pregnant Sango were already standing. InuYasha felt odd, being so much shorter than the monk now.  
Miroku was speaking, "Kagome, the south side of the barrier is weakening. I've done everything I can to strengthen it-"  
"I'll hold it while the people go through the cave. You just get everyone there!"  
She turned, and ran off, when Shippo ran up, "I can't find Gin!"  
"Again?" Miroku shook his head.  
Shippo spoke, "I think I know where-"  
"Just show me! Hurry!" The monk pushed Shippo ahead of him, calling back over his shoulder to Sango, "Get the boys and get up to the cave!"  
She nodded, and turned, heading towards where all the other people were starting to flow. InuYasha watched her, feeling helpless. Sango was so _pregnant_, she shouldn't be going off alone like that!  
Mikado spoke, and he turned to see her standing beside him, "You're forgetting who Sango is. She's been through this once...she can handle it again."  
InuYasha turned, to look where Kagome had dissapeared to, and he ran in that direction.  
It was strange, trying to move against so many people, and yet not being able to feel any of them. He dodged as many as he could, and was eventually able to get to a clearing, where he left them behind.  
He slid around a corner, silver hair streaming out behind him, looking around wildly for her.  
He finally found her, standing alone on a small outcrop in the southern side of the village, overlooking the cave where the refugees were streaming in. The barrier above her was flashing and flickering, as many demons fought to break it down.  
Kagome stood with her hands out, a faint blue glow emanating from the very center of her palms. There were two similar faint blue spots up on the barrier, where she was obviously trying to strengthen it.  
Below, the people continued to pour into the cavern, carrying a few things with them as they went.  
InuYasha could see beads of sweat on Kagome's temple, as she concentrated. Every so many minutes, she'd glance down towards the cavern entrance, about 8 feet below her, making sure that everyone was getting through.  
"Kagome!"  
Shippo ran up, breathless, "Kagome, just about everyone is through the cavern! There are only a few left!"  
Her voice shook iwth the strain, "Did you find Gin?"  
"Of course! She was just hiding. Miroku has her. Come on, just a little longer."  
Miroku came running up towards them, a small bundle in his arms, "Kagome! We have to go now!"  
"Go to the cavern! I'll be the last through! I have to be sure I can seal the cavern behind me, so they can't follow!"  
InuYasha balled his hands into fists, "Don't be so stupid! Get down now while you can!"  
But of course, no one heard him.  
Miroku spoke, hesitant, "Kagome-"  
Her voice was low, "I can't hold it much longer, Miroku. I just don't have the power. This is taking...everything out of me. Go! Take Shippo and Gin and Go!"  
"No!"  
The small child in Miroku's arms squirmed, pushing back the cloak that covered her. She sat forward, holding out her two little hands, her hair, in a little ponytail, falling over one shoulder, "No! Mother! I want to stay with you!"  
Time slowed for InuYasha as he looked at the child in the monk's arms.  
She was small...only about 4, if that. He stared at her, his eyes wide, the breath locking in his throat.  
_...Mother?_  
Her face, that heart-shaped face, was Kagome's, only smaller. The same chin. The same shape to her eyes, the same shape of her lips, even the same ears, only smaller.  
But her eyes...  
Her eyes were gold.  
Her hair was silver.  
InuYasha felt like he couldn't breathe. His heart was pounding so hard it threatened to burst through his chest.  
"No," Kagome's voice was firm, "You go with Uncle Miroku, GinSachi! Go with him! I'll be right behind."  
InuYasha's voice was barely a whisper.  
"...GinSachi..."  
_Silver Joy._  
"Go, Miroku! I'll be right behind you, go!"  
He turned, and slid down over the embankment, heading towards the cavern, GinSachi's high, child-pitched scream ringing out over the groaning of the demons overhead. The monk ran into the cavern, and turned, waiting for Kagome, the Kitsune right behind him.  
InuYasha tore his eyes from the child..._their child..._, and turned towards Kagome, angry. He felt panicked, as if he were really there. He wanted to grab Kagome...he tried, but stopped as he realized his hands would just pass through her.  
"Alright! They're inside! Give this the hell up and _go!_"  
_They had a child.  
They had a daughter.  
GinSachi._  
"I can't do this..." her voice was weak.  
He blinked, focusing on Kagome, on the strain in her face. Her hands were shaking, her legs. It was taking everything she had, and more, just to keep the barrier up.  
And with each second, more and more demons joined the mass outside, pushing against the barrier.  
"InuYasha...I wish you were here."  
"GodsDamn it, I _am_ here!" He screamed, "I'm right here, Kagome! Now stop this and go and get yourself inside! GO!"  
The barrier let out a mournful cracking sound, and InuYasha turned to see a huge crack ripple through the barrier. The demons began to focus on that crack, pushing harder.  
InuYasha turned back to Kagome, nearly in her face, although she couldn't see him, couldn't hear him.  
_"What are you waiting for? Go down to our daughter!"_  
Her voice was desperate, "I can't do it. The minute I stop, they'll be in!"  
"Not if you run...No. Kagome!"  
She turned, taking her attention away from the barrier, and turning all her power on the cavern.  
Going to bring it down.  
InuYasha tried to grab her, to turn her and push her...but his hands went straight through her, as if she were nothing than warm mist.  
"GodsDamn it Kagome no!"  
There was a blast of hot air, and the entrance to the cavern started to come down. Rocks broke free of the ceiling, plummeting to the floor of the cave.  
Miroku leaned out as far as he dared, "Kagome!"  
"Get back inside, Miroku!" Kagome yelled.  
"Kagome! You -Ow!"  
As the rocks continued to fall, a small figure darted out from between them, her silvery hair bright in the summer light.  
"GinSachi! Go back this instant!"  
"No! Mother! I want to be with you!"  
The barrier cracked.  
"Oh GodsDamnit!" InuYasha turned, and lunged towards the little girl..._his_ little girl. He didn't remember that no one could see him, that he basically wasn't there.  
"Go back! Go back to Miroku!"  
He bent as if to scoop her up, but she passed straight through him.  
GinSachi ran on for a few steps, and faltered. Both InuYasha and GinSachi froze, as if unable to move.  
InuYasha suddenly could smell her, a faint, light, little-girl smell, sort of flowery and soap-smell. Similar to Sokai, but different. So different.  
Behind him, GinSachi was doing the same thing...holding her little blue shirt up and sniffing it.  
Her voice was very soft, "Daddy?"  
He spun, eyes wide, heart hammering.  
"GinSachi!"  
Kagome dashed past, scooping her up, and running towards the cavern entrance. But she stopped when she saw the huge pile of boulders.  
Sealed.  
Kagome looked frantically around, holding GinSachi close, and with a shattering sound, the barrier above them let go.  
The demons began to pour in, like an evil tide.  
Kagome looked around, desperate, and he saw grief pass over her face.  
She turned, and knelt, holding GinSachi very close, as the demons started to bear down on her.  
GinSachi's voice was frightened, "Mother?"  
"Sssh." Kagome tucked the little girl's face into the curve of her neck, "I want you to close your eyes, Gin, and not open them. Ok?"  
"I'm scared."  
Cursing, InuYasha pulled his Tetsusaiga, and stood before them, fury and rage in his heart.  
"Mother, I'm scared."  
"You have to be brave for me, now, GinSachi. Ok? You have to be a brave girl for me."  
"O...ok."  
Kagome gently put GinSachi on the ground, and lay atop her, trying to shield her daughter's body with her own, as best as possible.  
The demons swept down, and InuYasha swung his Tetsusaiga, cursing.  
But it did nothing. The demons passed through him as easily as through a breeze, and he was left, unable to protect those behind him.  
"No!" He started to turn, but already he could hear the sounds of talons and teeth on flesh, as they struck Kagome repeatedly, and the lone, high pitched scream of a little girl.  
Everything went black.

"No! _NO!_"  
InuYasha flailed out again, and for a brief second, he thought he was flying...  
And then he realized he was _falling_.  
He landed hard, cracking his head on the ground, his Tetsusaiga flying from his hand where he was holding onto it.  
He lay there, eyes wide, staring up at the night sky, his heart pounding, every nerve screaming for action, his whole body trembling with shock.  
_Kagome...GinSachi..._  
"InuYasha!"  
He blinked, gasping, and sat up, looking around.  
He was beneath the tree. He looked up into the branches, calling out, "Mikado? You've got to take me back! You-"  
"_InuYasha!"_  
He turned to see Miroku and Sango running towards him, Shippo perched on Miroku's shoulder. Directly behind him...was Kagome.  
Sango, no longer pregnant, Miroku, no scar on his face, wearing plain clothing. Shippo, perched on Miroku's shoulder.  
They...they were his own age again.  
He was back...  
Kagome made her way over to him, "InuYasha, what's wrong?"  
"What..." he felt stupid, his body still wired for a battle, the scream of the child still in his ears, the sounds of the talons striking flesh...  
"We heard you scream," Shippo said as the hanyou slowly got to his feet, "You screamed "Noooo!" - Shippo flailed his arms for effect - "We heard it, even from Kaede's hut! You have twigs in your hair. I think you fell out of the tree."  
Kagome spoke again, "Are you alright?"  
InuYasha looked up into the boughs of the tree, "Mikado?"  
Miroku spoke, "Mikado? She's here?"  
There was only the sound of the wind in the leaves.  
"I...I guess...not. Maybe...it was just a dream..."  
"It sounds like an awful dream," Sango said softly.  
InuYasha passed a hand over his face.  
Kagome lightly touched his hand, "Are you _sure_ you're alright?"  
He lowered his hand, and looked at her, quietly. Her face was rounder. Younger. Concern for him in her eyes.  
"I...I need to talk to you."  
Kagome blinked, and looked a little uneasy, but nodded.  
Sango and Miroku turned, walking back towards the hut. InuYasha looked at them going, suddenly remembering the twins...and how round Sango was.  
He looked back to Kagome, "Kagome, I-" and noticed the Kageri, standing just a little to the side.  
He grew angry, "Do you mind? I said alone?"  
DarkWind shrugged, and was about to reply, when Kagome spoke softly, "DarkWind, head on back with Sango and Miroku, alright?"  
He bowed, "As you wish, Nushi."  
He phased out, only to reappear alongside the Miroku, walking back.  
InuYasha sighed deeply, trying to get his words in the proper order.  
"InuYasha...you look dazed. Did you hit your head or anything?"  
He shivered slightly, looking at her. He wanted to touch her, to hold her, to verify that she was, indeed, alright.  
"I..I'm-"  
"You're shivering! What happened?"  
"Just a...a bad dream." _I think._  
She watched him, quietly.  
"I...I'm...sorry...I'm giving you...a hard time again...about this training. I'll stop."  
Kagome blinked.  
"What brought this on?"  
"My ...dream. It's not important. You need to learn all you can. You...you might need it some day. To..protect..." he swallowed, "To protect others, not just yourself."  
Kagome slowly nodded. That's what she'd been saying all along...but he actually listened?  
"Thank you."  
She turned, and started back towards the hut, glancing back at him, "Are you coming?"  
He nodded, and started after her. Kagome caught the look on his face as he watched her...as if thinking deeply about something. But it was also _that_ look that he wore...when he...wanted to talk. About things she didn't want to talk about anymore.  
She kept up a steady pace, not lagging behind.  
But InuYasha just followed quietly, watching her, lost in his own thoughts.  
_A dream? Or real?_  
A little girl's face seemed to remain, burned into his memory.  
_GinSachi._

END


End file.
